“Al!  Good to see you buddy!  Hit me with a beer?” A man greeted the bartender with a friendly smile.  He wasn’t tall, nor short and he had eyes that sparkled under the dim bar lights.  He had taken a seat next to a girl who, like him, appeared to be in her mid-twenties.  She was dressed quite nice and had wavy brown hair that was shoulder length.  “Oh, I’m sorry.” The man asked, “This seat wasn’t taken, was it?”

“Be my guest,” she replied to him, stirring her c***tail, “I was just about to leave anyways.” She was staring at her phone somewhat angrily, avoiding eye contact with the man.

“I haven’t scared you away, have I?” the man said curiously, “If I’m making you uncomfortable I can move.  I wouldn’t want to impose-”

“Don’t worry.  You didn’t do anything,” she said checking her phone again, “I was just waiting on somebody.”  The girl clicked off her phone and continued to stir her c***tail, “but by the looks of it, he isn’t going to make it.”

“Excuse me for saying this but, why would any man in his right mind stand you up?” the man asked, taking a sip of his beer.  The girl laughed and gave a smile at the remark.  “Seriously.” the man said to her, “He is a real idiot if you ask me.  You need to find a boyfriend that will treat you better.”

“Fiance, actually” the girl said awkwardly.  The man glanced down at her hand on the counter and saw she had a ring he hadn’t noticed before.  “We were um- going to meet here at eight for dinner, but I’ve been here over an hour and he-isn’t-answering-any-of-my-messages.

“Geez, now I look like an idiot.  I’m sorry I didn’t mean anything by it.” The man rambled out an apology as the girl laughed at him.  “I’m sure he is a great guy.  And I’m sure he treats you well.  I know he is probably a- well you know I have no place to say anything.  This is your relationship, not mine.”  The man looked at the counter sheepishly and started fumbling with the straw in his own drink.

“Hey you’re fine, don’t worry about it.” The girl stuck her finger in her drink and twirled it around.

Icy silence emerged between the two of them.  They had never met before this night and the situation was already uncomfortable.  The man ordered another beer, then offered to buy the girl a drink as well.  “You have to at least let me buy you a drink.” he said to her.

The girl accepted the drink and they both sat sipping their own drinks.  They each listened in on other conversations while trying to think of something to say to break the ice.

“Jason, by the way.  Jason Wince.” the man extended a hand, smirking somewhat nervously.

“Katie Thomas.”  She laughed returning the handshake.  They were both relieved of the awkward tension.  Though the conversation went quiet again.

Jason wondered what he could say to spark up a conversation again.  A lightbulb went off in his head and he reached for his pocket.  “Mint?” he asked her, an open tin of altoids in his hand.  The girl laughed and took a mint.  “Jesus.” he thought to himself “This isn’t an Ice Breaker’s commercial.

The conversation went silent once more.  Katie and Jason each nervously stirring their drinks.

“Let's play a game!” he said quickly, turning to her.

“Me and you?  We barely know each other!” Katie laughed at the ridiculous idea.

“No!  That’s the point!  It’s like twenty questions!  We can get to know each other!” he smiled at her and turned his head to the side a bit, “hey, it’s something to do.”

“Okay, Jason.  We can play twenty questions.  I have to make up an hours worth of wasted time anyways, so why not.” she turned on the bar stool toward him and lightly flipped her back behind her shoulder.

“Precisely, Katie.” he said, also turning towards her.  “See, we have gotten on a first name basis in just ten minutes!  We are practically best friends already!”  They laughed and took sips of their drinks.

“Question one,” Katie said, thinking.  “If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?  Nothing cliche like New York or Paris.  This is the one place you want to go , anywhere on the planet!  Choose wisely.”

“Have you ever heard of Rotterdam?” Jason asked her after a moment.  “It’s a city in The Netherlands.  It sound so random and out of the blue but no, that is the one place I would go.” Jason put his finger down on the counter as if he were pinpointing a place on the map.  “I saw pictures of it in a travel magazine once.  The architecture is fantastic, like out of this world fantastic.  I mean, buildings of all shapes and sizes, bright, colorful lights and beautiful statues.  There are paintings in tunnels and houses that are so full of color and it’s just- beautiful.” he took a breath.

“Sounds amazing,” she replied.  She could see the images in her head. “You sure know a lot about it though.”

“That’s because I have done my research.  Don’t you ever dream of leaving this city?  I’ve lived in Chicago all my life and I have made a list, you know?  Places I want to go.  I want to travel.  Get the money, and travel.”

“Um- well I guess it’s a bit late for me,” she raised her hand into the air, showing her ring.  “I’m kind of committed.”

Very little words came out of Jason’s mouth when Katie mentioned her fiance.  “Oh,” he said, his voice trailing off.

“Well, um- let's keep playing I guess.” Katie said awkwardly.  “You want to ask a question?”

“Yeah, sure.” he thought, “I guess, um- what do you do for a living?”

“I work for a magazine company.  I’m so close to becoming editor I can taste it.  When I become editor, I will change the company around.”  Katie started to fiddle with the hem of her dress.  “The editor now, he is kind of a- well, I don’t know.  He never lets me write what I want to write.  I have to-” she mimicked a deep, angry voice, “follow the code.  Follow the code.  Write what I say to write, follow the code.”

Jason laughed a little.  “He sounds like a jerk.  I’m a writer too, though.”

“For what company?  Is it online?” she asked him.

“Oh no, not a company really.  I mean I write for a newspaper but that’s not what I mean.  I write.  I’ve tried to get published before but, they tell me I have no story.  I can write,  but it isn’t interesting.”  Jason looked up at the bar lights that gave the place an orange glow, then sipped his beer.

“I’m sure your writing is fantastic.” she stopped fiddling with her dress, “I think it’s my turn.  Okay, how about… Wait!  Best movie of all time- go!”

“Oh that’s an easy one it’s Back to the Future by far, and don’t try to tell me any different.”

“No way I completely agree.  Definitely better than the sequel.”

“Okay,” Jason looked Katie in the eyes.  “What is your life goal?”

“I mean I guess it is the same as all the other women in America.  Get married to a nice guy, settle down, have kids, start an honest to goodness career.  I’m no different than any other 27 year old in Chicago.”  Katie tapped her fingers on the counter.

“You aren’t like every other woman in America.  You aren’t like every other 27 year old in Chicago.  You are- nevermind.  I’m sorry I said anything.”  He turned his seat back to the counter and pulled his wallet out of his blue jeans.  “I think I better go, Katie.”  He pulled a ten out of his pocket and stuck it under the beer glass, “You should go home too.  Your fiance might be waiting for you.”

“Hey.  Jason, stop”  she touched his arm but quickly moved it back.  “You’re fine Jason it’s okay.  I’m engaged and that doesn’t mean that I can’t talk to you.”

“I don’t even know what I’m doing here, Katie.  You do have a fiance and that does mean you shouldn’t talk to me.  I don’t know why I stayed here.  It’s not like you will turn around and leave this guy that you’ve been with for god only knows how long for me.  So why am I even-”

Katie quickly put her hand on his face and turned his head towards her.  In an instant she was kissing him, and he was kissing her back.

The bartender shook his head and turned the other way as he cleaned a glass.  “These people crazy,” he whispered to himself as he threw a rag over his shoulder, “My name isn’t even Al.”

Katie sprang back like she had been bitten by a snake.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean- I mean I couldn’t resist- I mean…  I think I should probably go.”

“Katie, I-”  Jason tried to say something to her but she shook her head.

“Jason, you’re right.  I’m getting married for god’s sake!” she looked as if she might cry.  “I don’t know what I was thinking or- I mean I’ve known you for twenty damn minutes and I have already made out with you!  This isn’t me, Jason!  I don’t-”

The bell on the front door rang and a man stepped into the bar.  He had dirty blonde hair that swooped up and a clean cut face.  He was wearing a navy blue suit with a pink tie and he had a shining, expensive looking watch on his hand.  He looked around at the bar in a way that it seemed he was almost disgusted.  The man walked towards Jason and Katie as they both watched him.

“Sorry I was late Kate, I got held up at the office” he kissed took her hand and kissed her.  “Who is this guy?” he said, looking Jason up and down.

“Zachary, this is Jason,” she looked into the man’s eyes with a half smile, “He kept me company while I waited for you.  Jason, this is Zachary, my fiance.”

Jason nodded at Zachary.  They were both looking at each other, as if they were dogs trying to get to know each other.

Zachary reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of folded bills held together by a silver money clip.  He pulled out a twenty dollar bill and stuck it in the chest pocket of Jason’s faded blue buttondown.  “Thanks for taking care of my lady, your services won’t be needed anymore.”

Jason was speechless.  Who did this guy think was?  He watched Zachary put an arm around Katie’s waist as she stood there motionless.  It was almost as if he were awaiting a thank you from Jason.  He took the bill from his pocket, trying to hide his frustration, and stuck it in between Zachary’s shoulder and his blazer.  “I don’t need your charity dollars,” he said to him.  “You have a good night.” Jason turned around just as Zachary and Katie did.

“Goodbye Jason.  Nice to meet you,” Katie said to him, not looking back. 

Jason didn’t say anything and turned back to sit at the bar.  He didn’t care to turn around as Katie left with that scum bag.  Why would she do that to him?  He knew her for a mere half and hour and she had played with his heart strings as if they were a stray instrument. 

Jason took a cab home to his apartment.  He somewhat wished he would’ve taken the money from Zachary so he didn’t have to pay the fee by himself.  “Dammit you idiot” Jason said to himself as he walked from the curb to the front door of his building, “You had to go out tonight, didn’t you?”

He opened the doors to his studio apartment and collapsed on the couch.  He normally wasn’t like this.  He usually attracted girls with his charm, but never a girl who was engaged.  It wasn’t that though.  Jason usually didn’t experience this kind of emotion.  He had dated tons of girls and met tons in bars but it seemed as if Katie actually made him feel, different.  He felt sick to his stomach.  He didn’t get emotional often, let alone feel whatever this was.  So he expressed his feelings the only way he knew how to.  He grabbed his laptop off of the coffee table in front of him and set it on his lap. 

Jason opened the explorer tab and typed in a web address.  He had an account for a blog that he occasionally wrote on, but he normally stuck to pen and paper.  Jason began typing and soon he was in a fixed zone, unable to lift his fingers from the keys.  “They say I can’t tell a story,” he said, adding the final period to his masterpiece.  “I’ll give them a story.”  He pressed the post button and his writing turned public.  Jason took a deep breath and closed his eyes.  What had just happened?  He met one girl and his mind was turned upside down.  The events of that night replayed behind Jason’s eyelids.  Buh Dink!  The sound came from Jason’s laptop as he opened his eyes.  Katie Thomas sent you a friend request.

The computer mouse drifted back and forth from Ignore to Accept.  “What makes her think I would want to be her friend online?” Jason asked himself the question out loud.  “I spent one night talking to this girl and she-” Jason’s finger clicked the mouse.  “Dammit,” he shouted at himself, “You just couldn’t resist, could you?”  He sat staring at the screen, his mind elsewhere.  The word ACCEPTED looked him square in the face.